Hunter or Hunted
by GO ZeldaXLink
Summary: Based off of Cabela's Dangerous Hunts. Zelda Style. AU
1. The Calling

**A/N: Hey guys, I was playing Cabela's Dangerous Hunts and I wanted write a Legend of Zelda version of it. I do not own any _Legend of Zelda _characters nor _Cabela's Dangerous Hunts_.**

* * *

It was a Friday morning in Venice, California. The sun had barely risen; some people were walking on the city streets though few were very awake at this time. In one particular house, a figure with golden blonde hair snored as the digital clock read 5:59 a.m. Eventually the clock's alarm broke the quiet atmosphere once the time hit 6:00 a.m, motioning the young male to wake to the new day.

With a light groan, the figure threw his sheets off his half-naked body and quickly slammed his fist on the clock, effectively shutting it up. The sheets crumpled to the floor as the male flexed his taut, tan muscles, cracking a few bones in several places of his body. He sat up rubbing his tired eyes. When he pulled his fingers away from his face, his cobalt blue eyes opened but quickly closed as the harsh light blinded his vision. He opened one eye allowing his vision to grow accustomed to the lighting and opened the other eye once the other got used to morning light which streamed through the open window. He scratched his head trying to remember what day it was. He flopped back on the bed and groaned loudly when he remembered he had school today. But then he also remembered he had winter break to look forward to at the end of the day.

_Yes! It's Friday today. _Link thought to himself as he sat himself out of bed. He picked up the sheets that had fallen on the floor and lazily threw them back on the bed knowing that he had little time to make it. He grabbed some clothes from his drawer and quickly ran out of his room to the bathroom across the hall. He brushed his teeth, took a quick shower, put on his clothes (consisting of a white collared shirt and navy blue pants), and grabbed his keys on the counter with a Pop-Tart in his mouth and his backpack hung lazily on his shoulder as he made his way out of the door.

Throwing his backpack in the passenger seat and taking a quick bite of his breakfast, Link inserted his keys in causing the engine to roar to life. Link shifted the gears as his truck reversed out of the driveway and onto the street.

* * *

As soon as he stepped into the hallways of Venice High, he was greeted with the taunting remarks of the school bully, Ganondorf. Ganondorf, as most described him, is a tank. With his flaming red hair and flashing amber eyes, most would scurry away and avoid making any direct contact with the brute but those who did would certainly fall under the force of Ganondorf's fists. Link was one of the few who maintained his gaze in the eyes of the bully. "Hey Linky-boy!" Ganondorf would always say and today was no exception.

"Hey Linky-boy, come over here!" Ganondorf called. Link briskly walked across the quad, paying no attention to Ganondorf at all. There was still five minutes before the bell rang however.

"Oy, get him!" Ganondorf bellowed. Link, realizing what was going to happen, simply stepped backwards while Ganondorf's friends Bulblin and Zant collided into each other, both hoping to wrestle the blonde boy to the ground which only had just ended in misery and a roar of laughter by anyone who was near enough to see it happen.

Link stood there for a moment watching Ganondorf's cronies rub their heads where they knocked into each other. Bulblin was the epitome of gluttony. Standing at a towering six feet and five inches and 250 pounds of fat on his body, it was a wonder how he could support his weight. Zant, on the other hand though tall had the body shape of a twig, his long slender arms reaching past his mid-thigh gave him the appearance of that of a reptile. Shaking his head, Link simply stepped around them and headed for his Spanish class.

Sitting in the back table of the classroom, Link gazed off into space as his teacher droned on about the history of Spain. Link was a good student but was one of the quiet people who rarely spoke which was why he tended to be alone (which he didn't mind), though some people were a little ticked at his introverted behavior.

His eyes were staring at the screen in which the video began highlighting his teacher's points about Spain. Though his eyes were focused in the front of the room, his mind was lost in thought. Many of the other students in the room were no different. Spanish was one of the easiest classes so few actually _needed _to pay attention to maintain a good mark. Thirty minutes passed before the bell finally rang. Shoving his stuff into his backpack, Link raced out of the room, down the stairs and into the next building for his next class.

English was his favorite class though Link did not openly admit it. His teacher, Mr. Loya was a tall, chunky man with round glasses who was tough on his students but at the end of the day was a fun man to hang around with. Many students loved him and dubbed him "Papa Loya". Link would often stay after school talking to Mr. Loya, finding it easier to discuss many topics with him than his peers. Mr. Loya in return enjoyed Link's company, giving him advice when needed and a shoulder to cry on when Link had his bad days.

As it was a Friday, Mr. Loya walked into the room with a stack of papers in hand. Everyone knew what those stack of papers held, their weekly vocabulary tests. Without losing a beat, Mr. Loya handed out the papers to everyone in the room. When Link was handed out his test, he snorted under his breath as he quickly filled in the blanks with the vocabulary word that best fit.

Twenty minutes had passed when Link handed his test. Once he returned to his seat, he heaved a soft sigh so as not to disturb the rest of his classmates. Without anything to do, he simply looked around the classroom to pass the time. Eventually, his eyes landed on the most popular girl in school and his crush, Zelda Ameerah. Zelda was the head cheerleader of Venice High as well as (in Link's eyes) the epitome of beauty and brains. Many other guys ogled at her features with salacious longing but Link saw her as something beyond a sexual fantasy. She was a goddess reincarnated as he would describe her. Look, but not touch. Her golden locks flowed down to her waist, her lips red as a rose, but most of all, her deep violet eyes pierced beyond his soul.

Zelda Ameerah was sitting in her seat a couple of rows from where Link sat on the opposite side of the room so Link didn't need to turn his body the whole way to look at her. Zelda's left side was facing him, her head craned forward as she whispered amongst her friends Malon Lon and Ruto Fanny, both of whom were also cheerleaders in Venice High. Malon Lon was a lively spirit but also had a no-nonsense attitude when the situation called for it. Her fiery red hair personified her dynamic personality. Had the circumstances been different, Link would have asked Malon out a long time ago. Ruto Fanny, on the other hand, was a cheerleader who as many people described her "changing her boyfriends as often as she changed clothes". Ruto had dated just about every popular guy in school and refused to date any other guys that she considered "uncool". Link felt sorry for the boyfriend she was currently dating, Mikau Bay. A talented guitarist and laid back guy at heart, Link respected him though he wouldn't necessarily call him a friend, more of an acquaintance. It still shocked him however that he was dating Ms. Booty Call.

Link stared at them for awhile, so long in fact that he didn't notice that someone was tapping on his shoulder. Link turned around and found himself face to face with the school's valedictorian, Shad Toshiro. With sandy red hair, glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose, and a book in hand, it would be no surprise that he would be graduating in white robes or be the target of Ganondorf's taunts. Presently, Shad was giving him the look akin to that of discovered prey. Noticing the fearful expression on his face, Link furrowed his brow to convey to the bookworm of his confusion.

Trembling noticeably, Shad took a small, crumpled paper out of his messenger bag and handed Link the sheet. Unfolding the paper slowly and carefully, Link noticed the messy yet heavy writing of his adversary which read "You're dead today Rainsford." With a blank expression on his face, Link looked up at Shad whose face seemed to pale in the second Link read the threatening message. Waving his hand dismissedly, Link turned to face the front of the class and rested his head on the table.

Not even five minutes passed before the bell finally rang. Heaving his backpack on his shoulder, Link walked resignedly to his next class.

* * *

The bell finally rang signaling the start of lunch. Link was in no hurry to get to his favorite spot, under the school's palm tree in the quad. Since Link had no friends who he could sit with, the palm tree became his only companion. Sliding himself to the ground, Link pulled his backpack off and began digging through its contents searching for his lunch. He pulled out an apple and a bottle of milk. He chewed through the apple's tough skin and took a large portion of the fruit into his mouth and swallowed it. Taking note of his surroundings, he saw the freshmen's table off to his right a couple feet away and the nerds' table just a few yards ahead of the freshmen's table. Not too far away to his left sat the popular people's table. Crowded together, the large group of people made do with what was available to them by inching their tables closer together. On the very far end sat Zelda Ameerah with her boyfriend, Hank Almer who had an arm draped around Zelda as if he was presenting her as his trophy wife.

If there was anyone in the school that Link disliked the most besides Ganondorf, it was definitely Hank Almer. With olive skin, gray-green eyes, and clean-cut dark hair, Hank's superstar status as the team's best quarterback was unmatched. It was not so much about Hank's physical features or his social standing that caused Link to despise him but more for his arrogant demeanor. From the way Link read him as, he was a ladies' man, caring little for the women he dated and often demeaning them to that of second class citizens.

Shaking his head as to why Zelda would go out with someone like Hank, Link could only conclude that his physical attractiveness was what drew Zelda to him. Biting the apple to its core and downing the last of his milk, Link promptly threw his lunch away and grabbed his backpack until he felt something vibrate in one of the bag's pockets. Probing for the spot in which he felt the vibrations, he realized that his cell phone was causing the throbbing. Heading back inside the school hallways so as to get more privacy and have a quieter atmosphere, Link quickly looked at the caller ID only to find that it was an out-of-state call. With a heavy sigh, he opened his phone and was about ready to yell something nasty in his phone only to be met with a familiar gruff voice.

"Hello son."

"DAD!"

* * *

**A/N: There is an autobiographical moment here. The teacher Mr. Loya is my actual former English teacher in my junior year. Still miss Papa Loya.  
**


	2. It's Time

**A/N: I will be changing viewpoints so I apologize if this gets all confusing. Do I really need to say? *Sigh* I do not own **_**The Legend of Zelda **_**or**_** Cabela's Dangerous Hunts **_**or its characters.**

* * *

_It had been years ever since I last set foot on my family's land. My father was never an easy man to get along with, but I knew how much this hunt meant to him. I had no idea what was waiting for us in those cold woods, no idea that my life was about to change forever._

_-Cole Rainsford, Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011_

"DAD"! I nearly yelled into the phone. My voice reverberated loudly in the long hallway. I hope no one heard that.

_Hello son_.

"Dad, why are you calling me? I am still in school." I bluntly told my father

_Son, it's time. For you and your brother._

"What do you mean? What are you ta-" I stopped in midsentence, realizing what he meant. It was my 18th birthday, well my and Kolby's birthday. We're brothers, twins in fact, but just because we _almost_ look alike doesn't mean we act in the same way. When I say almost, I mean that we look alike but except for our hair and eyes. I possessed baby blue eyes whereas Kolby had amber eyes though now he wears colored contact lenses that make his irises blood red; my hair is golden blonde but Kolby has jet black hair, hence I gave him the name "Dark". While I was the quiet and patient one, Dark was loud and brash. Dark and I used to be the best of buds when we were younger till he and I took different paths. We've only grown further apart ever since. Heck, he even spends more time with friends while I'm at home helping mom out; he and I don't even go to the same school. When summer is out, he goes up to Montana on his motorcycle to live with our dad while I work or go to the gym during that time. We practically live as if the other doesn't even exist.

_Son, are you still there?_

"Huh? Oh, oh_,_ yeah. Sorry dad." I said, coming out of my reverie.

_You understand that you and your brother are to come up North to go through a hunter's rite of passage. _

"I understand, dad." I muttered, holding back a deep sigh

_Good and make sure your brother gets the message too. I'll see both of you in a couple of days._

"Bye dad." I mumbled as the line went dead. Heaving a deep sigh, I stuffed my phone back into my backpack. I was in for a long winter break.

The day passed slowly. So far, I haven't seen Ganondorf or his cronies which was good but the threat they gave me ensured that I wasn't going home without any "reminders". When the bell rang for the final time that day, I meandered through the crowds to get to the parking lot, lost in thought. My father's words rang through my head…

_Son, it's time. For you and your brother._

Admittedly, I didn't want to go up north in Montana where my father lived on our family's land. Our family, the Rainsfords, was renowned for their hunting prowess. My forefathers had lived on that land for over two centuries. Though proud of my heritage, I found it difficult to get along with my father. He was never the warm, loving father I wished he could be. His love was expressed through a handshake or a pat on the head rather than a hug. But the last thing I wanted was to disappoint my father. So, it was with great reluctance that I decided to make the journey to the land that my father owned.

I was so lost in thought that I did not realize someone was walking towards me. When I finally did, we were both on the ground. A sharp gasp reached my ears and I instantly recognized the person was a female. Papers were flying and books thudded against the ground. Groaning and rubbing my eye, I quickly grabbed the items that fell on the ground and turned to hand it to the girl.

"Here you go…" I instinctively took a sharp breath because the person that I had bumped into was none other than Zelda Ameerah. Her hair was sprawled on the floor as she lay on her back, a few strands of it hanging in front of her face, concealing her violet eyes. _Oh goddesses, I love to see her eyes._

"I-I'm s-sorry" I managed to mutter as I hung my head in embarrassment. My ears were burning as I felt a light red flush creep across my neck.

"Hey, it's okay" I looked back at her, her lips were twitched upwards into a soft smile as she smoothed her hair back "Accidents happen." She finishes

Realizing the position she is in, I quickly dust myself off and offer her my hand. Her eyes widen a bit as if she never expected someone to do something like I just did, but she takes it anyway. I felt a shiver go down my spine as we make contact. She dusts her skirt as I grab the extra papers that fell. Straightening my posture, I hand her stuff and she takes it back and eyes me with curiosity.

"Hey do I know you from somewhere? I mean are you in any of my classes?" she asks.

"Er, yeah. I'm Link. Link Rainsford. I'm in your English class actually." I say, being careful not to trip on my words.

Pursing her lips and scrunching an eyebrow, she stares at me, then her eyes light up "Oh, yeah. You're the guy who sits next to Shad, right?"

"Yep, that's me." I say though I'm slightly surprised that she actually knows where I sit. Considering my quiet reputation, I would think that as a wallflower, I would hardly be recognized by anyone.

There is an awkward silence and I fill it by telling her "Again, I apologize for bumping into you." Once more hanging my head.

She glances back up at me and replies "Again, I say, it's okay. Accidents happen. By the way, why were you in such a hurry?"

I open my mouth to tell her till I realize the flaming red hair aiming in our direction from behind Zelda. Remembering the threat he promised me, I hastily say to Zelda "Sorry, I've got to go. Talk to ya some other time." I bolt in the opposite direction away from Zelda, from Ganondorf, and from his cronies. _Smooth, just smooth Link. _Scrambling for the keys, I make it to the parking lot, insert the key into the lock, rush into the driver's seat and drive away from the place.

* * *

Zelda stared at the spot from where Link disappeared off from, confused at his sudden getaway.

She looked behind her only to see her friend Malon Lon walking briskly towards her.

"Zelda! There you are." Malon squealed grabbing her friend into a tight hug.

"Hey Malon. Sorry. Got sidetracked." Zelda responded while returning the hug

"What happened?" Malon asked

"Oh nothing really. Me and this guy just bumped into each other." Zelda explained

"Really, who?" Malon pressed

"Hey, whattsup girls?" a voice interrupted

The redhead and the blonde turned in the direction of the new voice and found themselves staring at their friend, Ruto Fanny who seemed to appear just out of nowhere.

"Oh, hey Roo." chimed Malon and Zelda, using the nickname they had adopted for their ebony black haired friend

"Hey since we're all here, I have something to tell you guys." Malon nearly screeched, her eyes alight with amusement

"Oh, what is it?" Zelda queried, having completely forgotten about her situation with Link.

"Okay, okay" Malon said, huddling them together "First off, do you guys have any plans for winter break?"

"No, not really." Chimed Zelda and Ruto

"Great. Okay you guys know that I have a uncle who owns a ski resort in Montana, right?" Malon asked while the two girls responded with a nod. "Ok, what do you gals think about having a ski/camping trip?"

* * *

Link's hands gripped firmly on the steering wheel, his knuckles nearly turning white. His breathing was faster than usual but it slowly evened out as he pulled into the driveway. When he shut the engine, his steel grip on the wheel loosened and Link finally let out a breath. He sat in the truck for a moment before finally opening the door. Fumbling with the house keys, Link entered his home and found his twin utterly passed out on the couch (or so he thought) and the TV still on.

Rolling his eyes, Link took the remote that sat in the crook of Dark's arm and pressed the off button.

"Hey, I was watching that." Dark mumbled, his eyes remaining shut.

"Sure you were, Dark" Link said as he rolled his eyes again.

Dark finally stood up and rubbed his eyes tiredly and stretched his tired limbs. Letting out a loud yawn, Dark scratched his abdomen underneath his shirt and asked "Got any food?"

"No, Dark. I won't cook for you. We have to start packing tonight." Link bluntly stated

"We? What do you mean 'we"? Dark said as his brow furrowed in confusion.

Link turned to his younger twin and curtly said "Dad called."

A confused expression took over Dark's face briefly before his crimson eyes lit up with understanding. "Oh, oh I get it now. It's _our _time now isn't it?"

"Yep. So get your stuff ready, now."

"Ugh, I don't want to. Why don't you do it for me?"

"Here are a few reasons why. One: I am not your maid. Two: I have to get my own stuff ready. And three: I don't even want to touch your clothes. Who knows where you've been?" Link listed off

"Fair point, except for the first one. I'll just get my stuff ready tonight."

"You better. I don't want you to start complaining that you left something here while we're going in the truck."

"What? Who said I was going to be in the truck with you?"

"I did. So shut up and get your stuff ready."

"Fine, Capitan." Dark said nodding a quick salute as he made his way upstairs.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry guys, this was more of a filler chapter. The next chapter may be a filler chapter as well but a couple of chapters after that shouldn't be. Please review.**

**Oh and one more thing: the last part in which Dark says "Capitan" and does a salute is something my dad does when my mom asks him to do something.  
**


	3. On the Road (Part 1)

**A/N: Thank you "Texas Gal" for reviewing my previous chapter. I tip my hat to you. With that done, I am pretty sure everyone has the idea that I don't own **_**Legend of Zelda**_** or **_**Cabela's Dangerous Hunts.**_

* * *

_It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime…_

_Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner_

Saturday came bright and early. The stuff had been packed and was ready to go. Link and his mother woke up before dawn to prepare for the long drive while Dark was sleeping in. When the sun arose an hour later, Link stomped up the stairs to his brother's cluttered room. Without even bothering to knock, Link forcefully opened the door, much to Dark's annoyance. A small fight ensued in which Link argued that they had to wake early for the journey while Dark insisted he needed to get sleep. Five minutes passed before Link roughly grabbed the futon and flipped it over. Groaning, Dark finally stood up and gave his twin a venomous look while Link folded his arms disapprovingly. Not bothering to argue, Dark grabbed a black shirt with Metallica's insignia from the pile of "clean" clothes prompting Link to walk out of the room.

When the door finally closed, Dark began muttering angrily to himself "Stupid Link… We have to wake up early tomorrow so don't start complaining Dark…Yeah yeah." Pulling up a pair of jeans around his waist, Dark maneuvered around the objects that littered his entire floor. Unfortunately, he wasn't careful enough as he heard the sound of glass crunching underneath his feet. Cursing at himself, Dark bent down and pulled up the object that he stepped on earlier. As he stood up, he realized it was a picture taken at the beach and what felt so long ago. There was his father and mother, both dressed in tank tops and shorts, their grins present as they stared at the two 8 year old boys that stood in between them. Him and his twin brother. Both boys were hugging each other, toothy-grinned and eyes alight with happiness. They were dressed in only swimming trunks and stood sopping wet from the coastal waters that stood in the background. For some time, Dark stared at the portrait and began absently tracing the faces of his parents, himself, and finally his brother. He frowned as he thought of the past, how he and Link were so close that they would play pranks on their parents; when one was down, the other would pick them up. Now, it seemed as if the past mattered no more. He and Link took different paths. He wanted to live the high life but Link focused on his studies. He would go out to parties, Link stayed home to care for their mother. They would argue for hours before retreating into their rooms, both of them too stubborn to admit they were wrong. Thankfully, the arguing died down but the cold shoulder was their only greeting.

Not wanting to focus on the past anymore, Dark decided to throw it out of the second story window. As his arm made a full arc, he found himself unable to let go of the only memento that he had of him and his brother's childhood past. He began searching the room for any place to hide, throw, or place it until a voice rang out "DARK, BREAKFAST IS READY!"

Jumping slightly, Dark ran to the side of his bed and placed the picture frame under his pillow. He ran to his door and closed it without looking back.

Dark ran down the stairs and to his delight heard the sound of sizzling bacon. Grabbing a seat, Dark waited eagerly for the food to pile on the table.

"Kolby, can you grab the milk?" his mother asked as she took her seat

"Yeah, sure. Hey bro, can you grab the milk?"

Link, who had been flipping eggs, heard his brother's question; he scoffed and remarked sarcastically "Sure, I'm not busy enough to do your job. Go get the milk, Dark."

Dark let out a low growl that went unnoticed by the other two people in the room but he answered loudly enough for them to hear him say "Fine."

Pushing back his chair more roughly than necessary, Kolby stood up and paced a few steps towards the refrigerator and grabbed the milk. Setting it down, Kolby plopped in his chair as he waited once more.

When they finally finished breakfast, Link insisted that he help clean up the dishes despite wanting to get an early start. Dark made no comments while their mother assured Link that she would be fine and wouldn't mind having someone help her while they were away.

Tidying themselves a bit, the twin brothers walked into the garage where the truck lied in wait, patiently awaiting the chance to go through territory that it was so unfamiliar with. Before they could get into Link's truck however, their mother stopped them.

"Wait." She said in a quiet voice. She took out a box from behind her clasped hands and opened it revealing two similar wristbands, each one bearing a lone wolf paw print. "Happy birthday, my little cubs."

Slowly and quietly, both brothers grabbed a band, Link grabbing the green one and Dark, a black one. They both slid it on their left wrists. As they slipped them on, warmth emanated from within the bands as if it came to life through contact with their skin. The brothers stared at the bands then looked at each other as if questioning the other of the strange yet familiar sensation. They looked back at their mother who simply smiled at them.

Both brothers smiled at their mother and in turns hugged the parent. They got into Link's truck, both inexplicably calm and content considering their distant relationship. As Link started the car, their mother came to his window and said "Be careful my young ones, come back safely."

"We will." Both brothers chimed causing the two to stare at each other quizzically.

"Thank you, mom." Link said

The mother returned her warm smile even as worry lines creased her slightly wrinkled face. She looked like she was teetering on the edge of wanting to say something else. Finally she whispered "Link, please take care of your brother."

Link looked back at her and for a few moments was mesmerized with that pleading look in her eyes until he finally answered "I promise."

She put her hand on her heart and with the other waved them goodbye as they pulled out the driveway.

The drive was quiet for the first few minutes making it quite awkward for the two brothers. For some time, it remained that way until Dark decided to break the quiet atmosphere "Yo. How long till we get there?" he questioned.

Link flicked his eyes quickly towards his brother before answering "We'll be there tomorrow. Why? You already go up the same route already on your motorcycle, so it's not as if you don't know how long it takes to get there."

"Come on. You know I'm just messing with ya. Feels good to be hanging out with my big bro now that school no longer gets in the way, ain't that right brotha? Dark remarked while slugging his twin's arm playfully.

Link rubbed his arm where his brother hit but did not say anything as he looked ahead at the road. Finally, it was quiet again which confused Link as it was unlike his brother to not talk at all. Turning his head quickly towards the passenger's seat where his brother sat, he realized that Dark was pulling out his iPod and fixing the ear buds to his ears.

Link let out an inner sigh of relief as he began to enjoy not having to hear his brother drawl about his latest escapades. A small smile creeped along Link's face at the thought only to drop when he heard the loud music blasting from the tiny ear buds, though Dark didn't seem to care as he began bobbing his head up and down to the sound of the music.

Though Link couldn't make out the words, he could tell that the music had rather colorful language that he knew would never be approved in the sight of his mom's presence. He ignored it for the time being but it grew more frustrating to bear as he could hear Dark singing along to the songs with each passing minute. Gritting his teeth, Link tried to think of ways to calm his temper but it was to no avail as he finally blurted out "Hey, Dark! Why don't you just blast it on the radio for all I care! I don't find it offensive at all!"

Dark eyed him suspiciously, confused at his brother's outburst before waving his hands up (as if to surrender saying) "Hey chillax big bro! No need to raise your voice." Link eyed him carefully as Dark took off his iPod and sat back with a sigh.

Link turned back his attention on the road. He chastised himself for his outburst and instantly regretted his words. He looked back at the band that wrapped around his wrist and sighed. He told, no, promised his mother that he would take care of Dark. He reasoned that at least getting along with his brother would tremendously help in fulfilling his promise.

"Dark," Link started "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise my voice."

Dark looked back at him with slightly widened eyes then gave a small smile "S'okay big brother."

* * *

"We're here" Link said as he parked the truck

Dark groaned and rubbed his eyes tiredly after waking from his two hour long nap before asking "Where?"

"In Pocatello, Idaho. Now come on we have to check in." Link said as he closed his own door and began walking in the direction of the old but relatively clean motel with Dark following suit.

"Hello!" says the perky receptionist

"Good evening." Link mumbled shyly

"What can I get you two?" the young receptionist says while staring at Link

"Uh…" Link started off

"Can we get two singles?" Dark cut in

The receptionist taps away on her keyboard and stares back at them (or rather Link) "That will be $180"

Link hands her his card which she scans and in return hands him back the card a set of two keys.

"You will be staying in room 612 and 614. Please enjoy your stay." The young receptionist chirps a little flirtatiously as the twins make their way to their rooms.

While making their way up the stairs, Dark finally lets out a snort which becomes a series of loud guffaws.

"What's so funny?" Link asks curiously

It takes a few moments for Dark to become coherent but he finally says "The receptionist totally digs you."He laughs again while Link raises an eyebrow.

"Come on bro. She kept staring at you while _I _was talking to her. How did you not notice?"

"Dark, I'm tired. I've been driving for 13 hours. Give me a break." Link answers back rather weakly

"You need a girl."

"Yeah, no." _I already have a girl in mind already_ Link thought to himself

"Come on bro. There are many fish out in the sea just waiting to be reeled in and be taken."

Link pondered the meaning of his last statement wondering if he meant it in more ways than one. Shaking his head, Link ignored it, resisting the urge to slam his bag over Dark's head.

When they finally reached their rooms, Link hands Dark the keys to room 614 which was right next to room 612.

"Good night, Dark." Link mumbled as he swung the door open

"Night, brotha." Dark managed to say before his brother's door closed on his words.

Link stepped inside and was immediately met with a large TV that stood to his right side while a single bed sat just opposite to the TV. A bathroom door stood on the opposite side of the room. Setting his bag down, Link rummaged through the bag's contents and immediately found what he was looking for: his toothpaste, toothbrush, and a set of pajamas. After brushing his teeth and changing into the sleepwear, Link crawled under the thick covers thankful for the warmth that enveloped over him from the biting wind that continued outside. Immediately, after spending hours driving on the road, his eyes finally closed and he fell into a deep slumber.

Meanwhile in room 614, Dark lay in bed with the lamp on playing with the band that he still wore on his wrist. His room was identical to that of Link's. He had taken off his contacts, revealing his fierce amber eyes. For the past ten minutes, he did nothing but kick off his shoes and jumped into bed without bothering to change into any nightwear. He was lost in thought and tried to sleep to no avail. He couldn't sleep anyway. The night was his favorite time of day and he slept throughout most of the drive.

Thinking that walking would take his mind off of things, he sat out of bed and put on the heavy jacket he wore earlier. Sliding his feet into his boots and grabbing his key, he opened the door and stepped outside. Immediately the wind began biting at his face but Dark didn't care. The cold was more welcoming than the warm embrace of sunny California.

Patrolling the perimeter of the motel, Dark stopped and turned his attention to the sky where the full moon shone brightly. Smiling inwardly, Dark remembered how he and his brother would howl at the moon to get the attention of the neighbor's dogs and laugh at the comedy of the situation. Though their parents reprimanded them for their actions, the young boys just dismissed it as a fun prank.

The memories of those days tempted Dark. He knew he could get in trouble for "disturbing the peace" but he didn't care. He longed to live those days again. Clearing his throat, Dark tilted his head up and began howling towards the sky. Several more howls followed till Dark finally stopped, clutching his dry throat. Boy, did it feel good. He let out a hearty laugh till he felt the hairs on the back of his head stand on end. His heart began beating against his chest inexplicably. His ears began pricking for any sound. Nothing. He slowly turned his head side to side. Nothing out of the ordinary. Letting out a loud gulp, Dark slowly turned on the spot. What he saw caused a chill to go down his spine.

Standing six feet away from him stood a dog. A large, black mangy dog. Dark couldn't tell what breed the dog was as it was too dark and the nearest source of light blocked any noticeable features from revealing any sort of detail to Dark. Dark could at least make out the outline of the dog's position and he knew from experience what the dog was feeling, as if the growls emanating from the creature's throat weren't any indication. The dog's back was hunched and its tail stood high, not down like a nervous dog. It wasn't the growls that terrified Dark but rather its eyes. At first, he was sure that the lights were playing tricks on him but as he slowly stepped away towards the motel; he couldn't shake the feeling that the dog's eyes were glowing an unsettling shade of red. Each step Dark took, the dog followed with a large step of its own. When he finally backed into the motel's side entrance, he hastily opened the door and closed it with a loud slam. But he didn't stop there.

Running as quickly and surreptitiously as possible, Dark sprinted up the stairs and barged into his room after fumbling with the key. As he stepped inside, he let out a couple of deep breaths he had been holding and only then did he realize that he was shaking, but not from the cold, he hurriedly reached under the covers of his comforters and tried to sleep. When he finally did, he stirred constantly in his bed and mumbled incoherently, dreaming of the same black mutt.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah sorry about not updating for some time. First week of school and I am already hitting the ground running. Senior year is a bit of a pain.  
**


	4. On the Road (Part 2)

**A/N: Remember when I said this was semi-active. Yeah, I just write when I feel like it. I know some of you readers have been reading **_**The Hammerhead Knight**_** but I hope you'll enjoy this story eventually once I get into the good parts of the story. I've gotta say though, I am surprised this turned out longer than I expected to be.  
**

**Again I say, I don't own **_**Legend of Zelda **_**nor **_**CBH. **_**Oh and don't forget to vote on my profile.**

* * *

Getting up the next morning was more difficult for Dark. No bacon was sizzling to wake him to the morning sun. And last night's nightmare still plagued him. Unfortunately for Dark (again), Link awoke first but thankfully, Link had the courtesy to knock, albeit loudly.

Dark! Come on! I let you sleep in. You better be ready next time I knock on this door!

Dark looked at the time 7_:00 a.m_. Groaning loudly, Dark resignedly lifted himself out of bed. _He calls that letting me sleep in_. Digging a pile of clothes out of his bag, Dark shut the door behind him and immediately turned on the hot water. Stepping into the tub, he finally let his muscles relax as they soaked into the boiling water. With a lazy smile on his face, Dark drank in the heat the shower provided him, not caring that he had to leave soon after or of facing his brother's scolding. With a jolt, Dark remembered of last night's occurrence.

_I'm just being paranoid. Come on it was just some dog. You've dealt with other dogs before._ Dark told himself. Finally stepping out of the shower, Dark grabbed a towel and began drying himself. The fogginess of the room was so heavy that he had to rub vigorously on the mirror just to see his reflection. Black hair in disarray. Prominent bags under his eyes. Muscles tense. Just the epitome of paranoia.

Shaking off his appearance, he hurriedly put on his clothes. He jumped as he heard the sound of heavy knocking on his door.

"Dark, hurry up! It's getting late!"

Slowly dropping his hand on his heart, Dark shakily opened the bathroom door and quickly threw any belongings that he had taken out the night before finally stepping out in a dark brown parka. As he stepped out (case in hand), he saw Link cross-armed and a stern look crossing his features…

"Took you long enough."

* * *

They were on the road again. The two didn't speak (as had become part of their routine). While Link stared intensely at the road, Dark simply stared out the window, too lost in thought to sleep. The silence continued and as the silent air reign, Lind decided to break it. "Hey Dark, how are you doing?"

Without turning his head to face his brother, Dark mumbled through his fingers "Fine."

It was silent again. Desperate to break the silent air, Link questioned "You hungry?"

"No." Dark answered

"Not hungry?" Link questioned, finally turning to look at his brother (though he glanced at the road several times)

"Yeah, not hungry. Did you not hear me the first time?" Dark nearly growled

"Hey, I just simply asked you a question." Link said, his temper rising.

"So?"

"So, that doesn't give you the right to answer me like that." Link growled back

"Since when did I not have the right not to act like that?"

"What?"

Before Dark could explain, they were disturbed by a loud ringing. Heaving a heavy sigh, Link rummaged through his pocket before finally handing Dark his cell phone. "Here, answer it."

Snatching the phone from his brother, Dark pressed the answer button before finally putting it to his ear. Link quietly drove while listening to the conversation exchanged between his brother and father.

"Yeah…yeah, alright we'll be there today." Dark said before finally ending the call.

"So what did he say?" Link asked

"He just asked where we were. I told him. And he expects us to be there today." Dark answered without a sour tone in his voice

"I figured." Link gruffly answered but before setting his sights back on the freeway, he asked "Now, can I have my phone back?"

Dark leaned over to hand Link his cell phone until a sudden idea came to him. Grinning devilishly, he leaned back and teasingly asked "And if I don't?"

Link narrowed his eyes at his brother, clearly in no mood to play games with his twin. "Seriously, come on Dark, give me back my phone." He held out a hand, palm-up. "Dark." Link reprimanded

"Hmm." Dark mused, staring at the phone. "Why should I?"

"Dark!" Link barked "Just give me back the phone."

"Why is it so important to you anyway?"

"Because… it… is… my… property. Now hand it back." Link growled in a way that slightly unnerved Dark

"Ok. Ok." Dark surrendered with his hands up before finally handing over the device. Link stuffed it in his pocket and finally looked back on the road with an imperious look on his countenance.

A little intimidated by his brother's look, Dark nervously asked "Hey bro. You know I'm just kidding."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."Link scoffed

Wanting to make it up with his brother, Dark asked "Can we go for McDonalds?" while passing a McDonald's sign

Biting back a annoyed sigh, Link agreed.

As soon as they entered the McDonalds, they were pleased to see that they were the first to step in line. With their choices in mind, they relayed their order to the elderly cashier who seemed hard of hearing. They paid for their food and sat at a nearby table once their food was announced.

As soon as they sat, the brothers hounded down their food, unaware of the disgusted looks they earned from nearby patrons. When Link looked up with hash brown in hand however, the tips of his ears burned. Dark, noticing this, asked "What?"

"We're drawing a little too much attention." Link answered, subtly nodding towards the watching eyes of the patrons

Dark looked around, now fully aware of the circumstances, he simply shrugged and began stuffing down the last of his McMuffin. Link looked at his brother, mouth slightly agape "How can you keep doing that even when everyone else is watching."

"Why should I care when were not likely to be seen by anyone else we know? We don't come here often enough for anyone to realize who we are." Dark answered

"Point made."

The brothers continued eating in silence for a bit, though Link was eating at a more reasonable pace. A few jokes were exchanged by Dark throughout breakfast by calling his brother "a baby" for drinking milk while his Link retorted with "a weirdo" quip about his brother's choice of having soda as a breakfast beverage. They left an hour later with their stomachs satisfied.

"Better now?" Link rhetorically asked

"Much." Dark answered with a wide grin, revealing his unnaturally sharp canines

They entered Link's truck again and set out for the open road. For the first time, in a while, the brothers did not feel any animosity towards each other. To pass the time, Dark began to question of the surprises their father had in store for them; Link did his best to answer them to the best of his ability before they realized that they were home.

"Welcome to Montana." Dark read as they passed the sign

"Yep, we're home." Link muttered

"So bro…" Dark started

"Yes?"

"So, what secrets do you have?"

"Well… maybe my brother is starting to act all girly if that counts."

"Hey!" Dark said in offended tone of voice before punching his brother's arm playfully and asking "So seriously, why were you embarrassed back there with your phone and all?"

"I wasn't embarrassed at all. I just wanted my phone back." Link answered truthfully

Noticing that his brother was telling the truth, Dark sat back into his seat, letting out a puff of air, annoyed that his suspicions were false.

"So, Dark. How's school been lately?" Link asked

Dark whipped his head to look at his brother, surprised that his brother was talking to him normally. He answered a few moments later with "Fine."

"Just fine?" Link asked, a little miffed by his brother's overuse of the term

Dark shrugged "Yep… Oh wait… I just remembered. I made it on the archery team."

"Really?" Link questioned, genuinely surprised at the news (and that their conversation was going somewhere) "That's neat."

"Yeah." Dark noted happily. A few beats later he asked "What about you bro? Play any sports?"

"I do boxing and wrestling, but not in school." Link answered back without taking his eyes off the road

"Ah, that's too bad. Why don't you play for your school team though?"

Link shrugged "Too busy."

"Oh."

"Yep."

A few moments of silence.

Shaking off the silence, Link added "That's great though that you made the archery team."

"Yeah, but I'm not as great as you though."

"What do you mean?" Link turned to look at his brother briefly

"Remember when we were younger?" Dark began

Link raised an eyebrow.

"You know…" Dark tried to explain snapping his fingers as he did so as if to trigger some memory "Remember when we were five and we tried shooting that apple in the tree one day?"

A knowing look blanketed Link's face. "Oh yeah I remember that day now. Dad gave us our first bows even though we didn't have the strength to pull back the string." Link chuckled "I remember you were complaining after that because I managed to shoot three apples with one arrow."

"Hey! I said don't you remember that day. Not rub in my face of your victory." Dark said seriously though his mouth was turning upwards in a grin prompting Link to snicker

"Oh goddesses," Link laughed wiping a tear as he did so "I can't believe I forgot about that day." Link snapped his fingers "Ooh, I just remembered a good story right now."

"What?" Dark listened eagerly, turning his whole body sideways to look at his brother

Laughing nostalgically, Link began "Remember that ski trip we took when we were thirteen?"

Dark turned his gaze upwards before his mouth formed a frown "Yeah, I remember that but I didn't get to go. I got sick that day."

"Oh," Link mumbled, his features mirroring that of Dark's "Never mind."

"No-no," Dark pressed "Continue. I want to be able to tell some good stories someday to my s-girlfriend."

Link whipped his head to look at his brother. "What were you going to say?" Link questioned

"Girlfriend, I meant girlfriend. I'll tell you about her later. Continue."

Link's questioning gaze melted away before responding with a confused "Okay." Link cleared his throat and began "Well, when I went to the ski trip, I was roommates with this guy named Volga. He was really tall and he had a certain fondness for red and orange but man, everything I saw was just related to dragons and he wouldn't stop talking about it so I was little annoyed with it. The fact that he was a hothead didn't help his case either. He broke some of my stuff and I just got so sick of it, I hid his snowboarding gear." Link paused as his brother laughed and then continued "So Volga interrogated me and I just played it as if I didn't know anything. He angrily questioned everyone and when he found out that I hid his stuff, he chased me around till he caught up with me at the ski lift. When he did he lifted me up and began shaking me around, believe me, I was worried what he would do to me. When I was lifted, I noticed a key chain on his belt and an incoming ski lift chair." Link paused to gather his breath "When the chair came in close enough, I literally punched his nose and hooked the ring onto the chair. Needless to say, he screamed like a four-year old girl till he reached the ground."

Dark burst out into a series of loud guffaws prompting Link to join in the laughter.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Dark nearly yelled and laughed "You actually had the guts to hook this guy to a ski lift without fear of getting into trouble?"

"Well actually, now that you mention it, I didn't get into trouble." Link said "Probably because Volga didn't want to admit why he was hooked to it." Link laughed before moving on to ask his question "So you mentioned earlier you had a girlfriend?"

Dark locked his gaze onto his brother's face before smiling and answered "Yep. Midna Shard."

"What's she like?"

"Here I have a picture of her."Dark dug into his pockets before pulling out his wallet and taking out a small picture. Link glanced briefly at it before commenting "She's really pretty." Noting the red hair, pale, alabaster skin, fiercely red eyes, and the black dress that hugged her slim figure, Link nodded his head before Dark put the picture back.

"Yeah, she really is." Dark concurred

"How long have you two been together?" Link questioned

Dark scratched his head before answering "Our two year anniversary is coming up after winter break now that you mention it."

Link nearly stopped the vehicle in surprise "WHAT?!"

"Yeah, sorry about not telling you that before, bro."Dark said as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously

Link stayed silent, taking all the information in. Dark turned to look at his brother, a smile tugging on his lips. "So what about you brother, do you have a girlfriend?"

Link froze. If there was one thing he didn't want his brother to know. It was definitely that. Whenever, Link would crush on someone, Dark made sure he would embarrass his brother to the greatest extent whether it be making kissy faces whenever they passed by one another or even signing a Valentine's card to get his brother into a relationship.

Dark, having noticed his brother's paralyzed face, grinned wickedly. "Oh-Oh. So the ever boring Link does have someone he likes. So, what's the sheila's name?"

"I am not interested in anyone." Link said quickly trying to keep his voice even

"Don't play coy with me bro. I know that look on your face. C'mon what's her name?"

"Nobody."

"Oh no. I will make sure I found about this person's name by the end of this week if it is the last thing I do."

"Haha, not happening, because I am not interested in anyone."

"Yeah… I guess you're right. Considering that school you go to, I guess those girls there are just not pretty enough for your standards."

"Of course there are smart and pretty girls there" Link mused, "I am not interested though, Zelda on the other hand…" Link clasped his mouth, nearly causing the vehicle to shift onto the other side of the lane with his only driving arm.

Dark immediately straightened with interest. "Zelda, huh?"

Link's face flushed with embarrassment as he hid his face from his brother's questioning gaze. In the meantime, Dark's features contorted into an amused expression. He punched his sibling's arm. Hard.

"OUCH! Dark, what was that for?!" Link barked while rubbing the spot where his brother hit him

"Damn! You like this girl and you never told me! WHY?!" Dark exclaimed

"Exactly what you are doing now. You overreact when you find out that I crush on someone." Link spoke honestly

"So, we're brothers. It's my right to know what is going on in your life."

"Oh really then, who were referring to earlier?" Link asked staring straight into his brother's eyes

A confused expression made its way to Dark's face "What?"

"You heard me. You were going to say someone else earlier. And I know it was not your girlfriend. Now who were you referring to earlier?"

Dark hesitated; he looked down, let out a breath then looked back up into Link's half-angry and half-questioning gaze. He opened his mouth but no words came out, he tried again "I-I can't tell you."

"What do you mean you can't tell me?"

"Because I can't. It's complicated."

"You have all the time to tell me here."

Link turned to look at his brother's face hoping to receive some answers. Immediately though he wished he didn't. Dark was staring straight back at him, but there was no sign of amusement in his features. Instead Link saw a different side to him, something he had never seen before.

His brother looked solemn, so serious. The frown looked so unnatural on his normally happy go-lucky face. His mop of black hair hung as if the life had been sucked out of it. His eyes were still twinkling but they lacked little light, darkening his features. They glistened slightly making Link realize that this was not something he should dig into.

Link sighed heavily, regretting pushing his brother this far. He turned and said "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have intruded."

Dark made some noise of affirmation before saying "I need to use the restroom, if you don't mind."

"Sure, Kolby."

Shifting lanes, Link turned his truck onto the exit lane and stopped at the gas station. They needed gas anyway. Without bothering to say anything, Dark unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car, closing the door behind him louder than he meant to. Link didn't blame him though. Shifting his glance upwards, Link noted the number before stepping inside the convenience store.

The inside of the convenience store looked larger than Link had expected. Five aisles of snacks were packed together, enough to rot all of King Dodongo's teeth. He stepped up to the line and told the cashier of his number then waited patiently outside for the gas tank to fill. Leaning against his trunk, Link fiddled with the green bracelet, staring at the wolf print as he did so. He looked at the numbers, they were still accumulating. He sighed, so bored was Link that he failed notice a sleek silver Lexus GX and a black F-150 SVT Raptor parking in the two spots behind him. He heard a couple of doors closing and a clatter of voices mixing together, both masculine and feminine. One voice in particular caught his attention…

"Hey babe… can you get me some of those snacks? I'm hungry." Said a deep voice. Link turned back and much to his displeasure saw the tall figure of Hank Almer … talking to Zelda. ZELDA!

"Sure thing honey." replied Zelda "Come on girls, let's get to it." Zelda called out to Malon and Ruto who were busy fixing their hair

Link peeked around the corner making sure that he wasn't seen. What were they doing here? For awhile, Link stood transfixed at the blonde beauty before him. She was wearing a purple blouse under a black wool jacket and her hair was held in a neat ponytail. Should he leave as if he had never seen her? Hank was walking away with two other guys, one of whom Link recognized as Mikau, presumably to the restroom in the back. He pondered his options. This could be his chance. Link saw her walking inside the store. As surreptitiously as possible, he followed her inside. As soon as he did, he whipped his head around looking for Zelda. He saw her in the back filling up some sort of drink along with Malon and Ruto who were also filling up their cups. Pretending as if he didn't see them, Link sauntered around, eyeing some of the snacks. Just when he was within calling distance, he heard another voice, this time a male and one that caused him to tense.

"Anything I can help you with pretty princesses?"

Link turned his head the slightest bit and saw a tall, muscular man with long fiery red hair adorned in a orange long-sleeved shirt with a red dragon stitched on his upper arms. Right away, Link knew he was the moment he heard his voice. _Volga_.

Now seeing him in the flesh again, Link was again reminded of Volga and his impulsive, haughty nature. Volga had not changed one bit, save for the extra muscle packed on his body. If not for Volga's height, they would have been on equal terms.

Zelda, Malon, and Ruto turned around to face Volga, none of whom were impressed with the comment.

"No we're just fine thank you." Zelda mustered though Link could detect the slightest hint of nervousness in her tone

"Oh, don't you know it's rude to decline a gentleman's offer?" Volga pouted with his arms crossed over his chest

Link who was still hiding behind the aisle, had to stifle his laughter at the sight of Volga's pitiful pout. This looked so ridiculous in contrast to his powerful presence.

"I'm pretty sure we can take care of ourselves. Thank you very much." Zelda said again, shifting her weight slightly as she did so while Malon and Ruto stood silently

"I'd like to have your numbers at least." Volga boldly said

Flabbergasted, the three girls took a step back at this statement. Malon spoke up first "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, I want your numbers." Volga's expression was crossed. Anyone who knew Volga well enough knows at this point that he was not to messed with even at this early stage especially Link, however this wasn't the same case for the girls.

"No." Zelda firmly stated, resting her hands on her hips

Volga's features darkened "Why you little…"

"Hey!" interrupted Link's voice. Stepping away from the aisle, Link stepped in front of the girls who seemed both shocked and relieved at the sight of Link who was now blocking Volga's path to the girls. Volga's features seemed to have darkened more in the mere presence of Link.

"Rainsford."

"Volga."

"Why you little piece of shit. I've never thought I would get to see you again someday." Volga said while cracking his knuckles

"Same goes to you." Link said staring straight back into Volga's russet eyes

"Not only did you take what was mine but now you're ruining my precious time with these girls here. That hardly seems fair."

"Doesn't seem fair that you have to treat these girls as if they were objects." Link retorted without a break in his voice

Volga clenched his jaw and seethed "Get out of my way, boy."

Link's eyes narrowed at Volga before saying "Make me."

With that, Volga raised a fist and swiftly aimed for a punch to Link's gut. Link, having anticipated this, stepped to the side causing Volga who had thrown too much energy into the punch to fall and hit the metal table holding the drink machine. Letting out a yelp of pain, Volga pushed himself up, caressing his hurt hand as he did so. Volga looked back at Link, mustering as much hatred as he could back into Link's unrelenting glare. Pointing an accusing finger at Link, Volga said "This isn't over yet Rainsford." With that Volga walked out and drove away in his black Hummer.

Making sure Volga was gone; Link headed to the door to be sure Volga truly left. After determining he did, Link looked back at the girls before him, still shocked what had just occurred. Link asked "Are you three okay?"

The three let out a breath, relieved it was over. Ruto answered this time "Yes, thank you. I don't know what would have happened if you weren't here."

"Yeah, I agree. Thank you so much sir." Malon concurred

"Yes, thank you so much Link." Zelda said with a pleased smile

Link rubbed the back of his head nervously before answering "No worries."

At Zelda's comment, Malon and Ruto looked back at her, a surprised look on their faces. "WHAT?! You two know each other?" Malon and Ruto shouted at the same time

Link and Zelda blushed slightly but the latter explained "Yes. We all go to the same school. In fact Link and I walked into each other on the last day before winter break."

"Oh" Malon and Ruto said in unison

Link, not wanting to waste any more time, walked away and said over his shoulder "See you when winter break is over." At least that was his idea.

A hand pulled on his left fingers. Link felt a pleasurable chill go up his spine before turning back to see that it was Zelda who had gripped his hand. Link froze, this was not exactly he had thought his day would have gone. Not only did he talk and meet with Zelda again. She was touching his hand, a chance he often wished he could pay for in the past.

"Wait," she nearly whispered, there were a few beats before she said "Why were you here?"

Link, in his frozen state, babbled "O-Oh, I-I had to get out of town. F-Family gathering ya know. W-well it was n-nice seeing you Z-Zelda." He tried moving but she kept her soft, firm grip on his hand.

Zelda inwardly giggled, he was so shy; normally she would often get frustrated when no one could speak to her without stuttering, but she found his embarrassed state so adorable. "Please Link, how can I repay you?"

Link took a step back "W-What? N-No I can't do that to you. I-I was just doing what any sane person would do; help another whether it be a friend or a stranger. "

Zelda outwardly smiled, genuinely surprised to see that Link had refused some type of compensation. She didn't realize that she was still holding his hand before Link started shifting his weight subtly side-to-side.

"Oh, I'm sorry" Zelda muttered before finally letting go of his hand

"S'okay." Link said, smiling and with more confidence in his tone

Zelda blushed slightly, his smile was so genuine, so calming. Unlike Hank's…She rubbed her wrists before saying "Link, thank you so much."

Link's smile grew wider and muttered "no problem." He looked into her lavender eyes, longer than necessary before glancing out the door. He noticed Dark heading back into the truck. Link groaned inwardly, now just remembering why he came up here in the first place. Not wanting to waste any more time, he politely stated "It was nice seeing you Zelda…and you two Malon and Ruto."

Malon and Ruto nodded, (the latter's eyes seemed to have a dreamy twinkle) but Zelda stopped Link before he could leave "Wait…" Link turned around with a furrowed brow, Zelda continued "Just be careful okay."

Link nodded before smiling and saying "I'll try". He finally headed outside and walked back to his truck. Dark sat silently in the passenger seat while Link put the nozzle away and entered the vehicle without a word. The truck roared to life before Link's truck disappeared onto the freeway.

Zelda stood at the door, watching Link's truck leave the station. She turned around when she heard snickering. Zelda pursed her lips before asking "What?"

"Him?" Malon said

Zelda looked more confused. "Yes, what about Link?"

"He's the guy that you ran into on the last day before break?"

Zelda nodded "Yes we just bumped into each other and that's how I learned his name."

"You ran into him, EWW!" Ruto shouted

Zelda was taken aback at this. "What?"

"You ran into Link Rainsford, King of all Losers!" Ruto shrieked

"So, what?" Zelda shrugged "He's nice."

"He's nice." Ruto snorted "Just be careful about him. He's a little too quiet and mysterious."

"Yeah." Malon reluctantly concurred but argued "But he did just save us from that Volga guy."

Ruto sighed "I guess you made your point." She smiled with a dreamy look in her eye "And he was so cute too when doing it."

Zelda mentally slapped her forehead. Malon shook her head before saying "Seriously, just one second ago you were against him and now all of a sudden you're setting your sights on him."

"So, people change their minds." Ruto argued

"Yeah but-" Malon began

"Okay you two! Now let's leave. I'm pretty sure the boys have waited long enough." Zelda said, breaking the argument

The two cheerleaders reluctantly dropped the conversation and followed Zelda to the counter and paid for the drinks. When they finally went outside, they saw Mikau and Taron Blackwater, Hank's friend and fellow football player conversing with one another while Hank sat inside the Lexus with his arms folded. When the men turned, Mikau's face broke out into a wide grin and asked jokingly "How long does it take three girls to get some snacks?"

The girls laughed though Zelda's seemed more forced. She turned her head in the direction of Hank's whose face remained unamused but said plainly "You're right Mikau. How long does it take three girls to get some snacks?"

Zelda inwardly gulped but did not resist walking into the open arms of her boyfriend. He wrapped his arms around her lithe waist as he leaned into her ear and whispered "You know how I feel when you're gone for _too_ long, right?"

Zelda said nothing but merely nodded her head before going around the vehicle and sitting in the passenger's seat. Everyone else gathered in the other vehicle and both cars were set out on the open road.

* * *

**A/N: So does anyone want to know what secret Dark is hiding? Find out in the next few installments. If you haven't noticed yet, trying to figure out what to have Link and Dark say in a vehicle is hard for me to do. I had to some revisions but I don't think I did that bad compared to what I had earlier (don't ask).  
**

**Oh yes and Taron is an OC of mine. If anyone intends on using his full name, you'll have to clear things with me first before I can give my permission. Don't forget to R & R.**


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